The Greenville man who avoided prison time after crashing his car into a home and killing the man inside was arrested again Thursday night -- but the woman who is alleged to be his victim spoke in his defense in court Friday morning.

John Ludwig, 39, is charged with second-degree criminal domestic violence.

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Greenville police said they received a call at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, from the father of Ludwigs wife, who told them his daughter was being assaulted. He said his daughter was going to leave her home and go to Embassy Suites on Verdae Boulevard to meet police officers.

Officers said when they met with Ludwigs 28-year-old wife, whose name is not being released, she was hysterical, crying and nearly hyperventilating.

The police report said Ludwigs wife told officers that Ludwig had been drinking and was "not sober." She said Ludwig is having financial problems and she has to help pay for their house, and that Ludwig gets angry because he is financially dependent on her.

She said she told Ludwig she would write the check, and went upstairs to take a bath, according to the report. Their 13-month-old daughter was sleeping in a bedroom next to the bathroom.

The wife told officers that she would turn the water on in the bathtub and Ludwig would turn it off. She said he then put his face close to hers and hit the back of her head with an open hand and then he left the bathroom, the report said.

Police: Wife's Complaint Changes

Officers said as they continued to talk to the wife, she minimized the slap as more of a touch to get her attention, the report said.

The report said she continued to say that she didnt want her husband to go to prison, she just wanted documentation of the incident to aid in her plans to get a divorce.

Officers said she insisted repeatedly that she never had any desire to have Ludwig arrested.

A warrant was signed for Ludwigs arrest on a charge of criminal domestic violence.

The warrant cited Ludwigs prior arrest for first-degree criminal domestic violence in February 2010 when Ludwig was married to his first wife.

Ludwig Appears In Court; Wife Defends Him

Ludwig went before a judge Friday at 10 a.m. in Greenville Municipal Court. Ludwigs wife was in court at his bond hearing and said she doesn't want "any of this." She said police were hounding her and she didn't mean to press charges.

The wife spoke to the court and said, I just feel like this is completely improper. I did not call police. We were having a discussion, and I did not call, I did not want this to happen I feel like the police kept on me to make a statement and I didnt want this at all. This is not what happened.

She said, "I just think that this was unwarranted and I want my husband back at home. This was totally blown out of proportion. And nothing happened that night to warrant all of this."

Ludwigs Attorney Kim Varner said his client and his wife were both stressed out last night over Ludwig's financial situation, and that accounts for the emotional state that the officers found her in last night.

Contradicting what was in the police report, Varner said, "She indicates to me that they have a very good and happy marriage. And there's no impending divorce or separation or things of that nature."

The judge sent Ludwigs bond at $15,000. He is allowing him to leave the state to seek psychological treatment. Ludwig said he's been seeing Ron Reece for psychological treatment.

It was a personal recognizance bond, so all Ludwig had to do was sign his name to be released early Friday afternoon.

Varner and Ludwigs wife spoke to News 4 after the hearing and said they felt they got special negative treatment because eight or nine officers showed up at and spent more than four hours investigating the complaint.

Ludwigs wife walked arm-in-arm with him after his release. She said, You don't know him, and if you read and if you listen to what you guys (news organizations) post, all of you post different things. Say different things. If you know somebody, then I think you have the ability to comment. If you don't, then I think that it's just hearsay. And you're going to have that everywhere you go.

She said she is going to contact the solicitors office to try to get the charge dropped.

Officials Respond To Arrest

Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins said he is referring the case to the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office. Wilkins said he is referring the case to avoid any conflict of interest. He said because of the history of cases between Ludwig and the 13th Circuit, he wants to avoid any appearance of either going easy on Ludwig, or trying to prosecute him too aggressively.

In reference to Mrs. Ludwigs statements that she will be asking prosecutors to drop charges, Wilkins said, as of Friday afternoon, she had not yet filed her request.

State officials are preparing to open an investigation that could possibly revoke Ludwigs probation. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services spokesman Pete O'Boyle said Friday the agency will likely investigate Ludwig in the light of the domestic violence charge.

Ludwig's Long History With Law

In November 2009, Ludwig pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the death of Bill Bardsley. Ludwig had just left a wedding reception when he drove his Maserati off through Bardsley's house north of Greenville.

The wreck killed Bardsely as he watched television in his living room. He had originally been charged with murder and reckless homicide. (Full Story)

Ludwig was sentenced to three years probation and 500 hours of community service.

Previously, in July 2008, Ludwig was charged with burglary and resisting arrest after he was accused of kicking his way into an apartment and chasing a man inside he believed was dating his first wife, from whom Ludwig was estranged. The police report said an officer had to use a Taser on Ludwig to subdue him.

Ludwig's bond in the burglary was set at $1 million. He was placed on house arrest with GPS monitoring. He was ordered to stay away from his now ex-wife as well as the alleged burglary victim.

Ludwig was later charged with harassment in August 2008, but that charge was eventually dropped.

Then came a criminal domestic violence charge that was also later dropped.

Ludwig was out on bond when police said his Maserati slammed into the home of Bill Bardsley on April 25, 2009.

In February 2009, Ludwig was charged with criminal domestic violence after he was accused of spitting in his first wife's face and hitting her in front of their two children.

In February 2010, Ludwig was convicted, and a judge sentenced him to 30 days suspended upon payment of $1,000 fine.

In July 2010, Ludwig was charged with third-degree assault after he was accused of spitting on an acquaintance at Barleys Tap Room.

He's also facing a federal lawsuit from creditors who claim he's hiding $2 million in assets.